Anniversaries, Birthdays, Best of the Net Nominations, Essays, and Where I’ll Be: Nature Writing Conferences in Oregon

At the lavender field on our anniversary

Celebrating: Anniversaries, Birthdays, and Best of the Net Nominations

This past week was Glenn and my 31st anniversary, pretty low-key, and today is Glenn’s birthday, which means two celebrations in one week. One thing I love about Glenn is for his birthday he made chocolate chip cookies that he took to the neighbors and the workers at the lavender farm. He just spreads joy 😉

I am also happy to say I was nominated for a Best of the Net by Flare Magazine, for a poem “There’s Something Wrong with Me, I Said” which I posted about a few weeks ago there. Thank you, Flare Magazine!

Where I’ll Be Next Weekend, July 19: La Grande, Oregon’s Nature Writing Conference

Morning shot of hot air balloon

You guys know I don’t travel a ton, so note: I’ll be on the road next weekend to do a workshop on Solarpunk poetry and a reading of eco-poetry from my books at a Nature Writing Conference from Eastern Oregon University’s low-res MFA program in La Grande, Oregon. I have never been to Eastern Oregon and I look forward to meeting new people and seeing new desert landscapes. If you’re in the area, come out and see me—here’s the schedule! 

Essays – and Poetry?

I’ve mentioned last week that I’m taking an essay class and enjoying trying out a different genre. It exercises part of my writing skills that I’m not used to using, and it occurs to me that poets could benefit from trying other genres. I know poets who’ve written fiction and excelled at both. I’m not sure yet that I’m excelling, but I’m glad to be challenging myself. I want to take risks, be more vulnerable, and sometimes it helps to feel like a beginner again. I am also starting to think about the difference between what poetry and essays can do, and the differences in what makes a good one. Essays definitely require more narrative and can’t rely quite as much on lyric language.

Anyway, next time I post I’ll be able to tell you more about Eastern Oregon! Hope you have a wondrful summer week – try to get outside and eat some popsicles, no matter the weather (we’re under a heat advisory here, so I will be staying indoors in the air conditioner til after 8 PM!)